Process for making belts.



F. E. CLARK.

PROCESS FOR MAKING BELTS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 12. 19H.

1,286,229. Patented Dec. 3, 1918.

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PROCESS FOR MAKING BELTS.

APPLICATION FILED uov. I2. 19.11.

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FRANK E. CLARK, OF HARMONY TOWNSHIP, CH AUTAUQUA COUNTY, NEW YORK.

ZPROCESS FOR MAKING BELTS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 3, 1918.

Application filed November 12, 1917. Serial No. 201,681.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK E. CLARK, a citizen of the United States, anda resident of Harmony township, in the county of Chautauqua and State ofNew York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Processes forMaking Belts, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a process for making belts and has particularreference to a process employed in the making of composite belts,although not restricted to this particular class of belts.

An important object is to provide a process by which a belt, constructedin accordance therewith, will possess a uniform coeflicient of expansionthroughout the entire length of the same.

A further object is to provide a process in which the various stepstaken in the carrying out of the same will be so related as to renderthe result of each subsequent step dependent upon the performance of thepreceding one in order to attain the ultimately desired object.

A further object is to provide a process wherein the various stepsinvolved therein may be efficiently performed by the average personunskilled in the art to which the process appertains.

Other advantages and objects of the process will be apparent during thecourse of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and inwhich like numerals are employed to designate like parts throu bout thesame.

Figure 1 .shows a stretching device embodying the invention,

Fig. 2 shows a device similar to that of Fig. 1 to be used in connectionwith the same,

Fig. 3 isa plan view of Fig. 1,

Fig. 4 is a detail view of a portion of the device shown in Fig. 1, and,

Fig. 5 is a vertical, longitudinal, sectional view of a cylinder.

In the drawings wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown apreferred form of my invention the numeral 10 indicates a ceiling fromwhich the device is preferably suspended. While I have shown my deviceas being suspended from the ceilin I wish it understood, however, thatany other suitable means of support for the same may be employed. Tosuitable supports 11, 12, 13 and 14 there are journaled pulleys 15, 16,17 and 18, respectively.

In proximity tothe pulleys 15 and 16 there is suspended by any suitablmeans of support an elongated cylinder 19 having mounted therein areciprocatory piston 20. This piston is preferably formed of a hollowpipe, the outer diameter of which is substantially less than the innerdiameter of the cylinder 19. Should it be desired, however, the pistonmay be solid, I having employed a hollow piston in order to obtain astructure as light in Weight as possible and to further enable me toemploy the least amount of fluid possible used. in the actuation of thesame as will hereinafter be described.

It is to be noted that the end of the piston 2O confined Within thecylinder 19 is closed by means of a suitable screw-threaded plug or cap21. Upon one end of the cylinder 19 there is mounted a screw-threadedcap 22, as shown, while the other end of the cylinder is provided with ascrewthreaded stufiing-box 23 carrying a flange 24: adapted to receivethereon a flange 25 carried by a gland 26, the gland 26 being-designedto occupy a portion of the space afforded between the stuffing-box 23and the piston 20 passing therethrough as clearly shown in Fig. 5.

.Within a track or guide 27 suspended in proximity to the cylinder 19and extending in the direction of travel of the piston 20, there isslidably carried a'carriage 28 .having journaled thereto a pulley 29.

A fluid pressure pipe 30 communicating a suitable supply of pressure,not shown, with the interior-of the cylinder-19, is employed wherebypressure is supplied to the cylinder 19 for actuation of the piston 20.At a suitable point upon thefluid pressure pipe 30 there is disposed apressure regulating valve 31 of the conventional form or type, thisvalve being provided to allow a predetermined pressure to be built upwithin the cylinder 19, this pressure being predetermined by means ofthe regulating rod 32 of the valve 31. To the pipe 30at a suitable pointbetween the valve 31 and the cylinder 19 there is connected a pressurerelief or safety valve 33 by means of a suitable connection, as shown at34:. This pressure relief or safety. valve is of the conventional typeand provided with means, as indicated at 35, whereby the point at whichthe same will be actuated may be predetermined or regulated. To thevalve 33 there is connected a discharge pipe 36, this discharge pipebeing provided as a means for convey the cylinder 19 by the pump may beconveyed to any desired or remote point. If suflicient discharge head isavailable the pump 39 may be omitted.

The above description is common to the disclosures shown in Figs. 1 to 5inclusive,

while in Fig. 2 it is to be noted that I have dispensed with the pulley18 and have substituted therefor, pulleys 40, 41, 42 and;43,

the pulleys 40, 41, 42 and 43 being journaled to verticalsupports 44 and45, respectively. his to be further noted that in Fig. 2 there is showndisposed approximately intermediate the pulleys 41 and 43 a press 46 thefunction of which will hereinafter be described. In use the operation ofthe device is as follows: In construction a belt the base elementcomprising a strip of cotton, canvas, or any other flexible materialwhich may be used in the construction of a composite belt, is placedupon the pulleys as shown in Fig. l, the ends of the same being securedto gether by any suitable means, as a hook or the like.

Assuming that the valve 38 is closed the pressure relief or safety valve33 is set at a desired point of actuation. The pressure regulating valve31 is set also at a desired point corresponding to that of the valve 33.The valve 31 disposed within the fluid pressure pipe 30 is thengradually opened permitting fluid pressure to pass through the pipe 30and into the cylinder 19 whereupon the piston 20 is actuated moving thecarriage 28 carrying the pulley 29. The action of the piston 20,indirectly through the carriage 28 and pulley 29, upon the flexiblematerial 46 sets up a tension Within the flexible element 46 the degreeof tension corresponding directly to the actuation point of valves 31and 33. During this time power is applied to the pulley 47 causing theflexible material to travel in the direction indicated by the arrows. Asuitable sizing material is then applied to the flexible material in itscourse of travel a suiiicient length of time to impregnate the pores ofthe material therewith. The action created by the sizing material causesthe expansion of the flexible material,

'cated by the arrows.

meaaae whereupon the pressureexerted within the cylinder 19 ismomentarily lowered. The lowering of this pressure affects the actuationof the pressure regulating valve 31, thereby supplying additionalpressure within the cylinder 19 thus maintaining the normal pressurewithin the cylinder. The flexible material 46 is allowed to remain inthe position as indicated in Fig. 1 for a period of from ten to fourteenhours during which period a relatively slow but constant travel in thedirection of the arrows is maintained. As the flexible material 46 driesin this travel it necessarily contracts thereby continuing to set up anexcessive pressure within the cylinder 19, which excessive pressure isreleased therefrom by means of the relief valve 33. While I havedescribed this step in the process of building up a belt by my proposedmethod as being accomplished with one cylinder it is obvious that aplurality of cylinders may be employed functioning in the same manner.

When the flexible material has become completely dry it is removed fromthe pulleys shown in Fig. 1 and placed upon the pulleys as indicated inFig. 2. The pressure regulating means is employed in the same manner ashereinbefore described to maintain a constant tension within theflexible material 46. The flexible material 46 is then moved by anysuitable means along its course of travel in the direction of thearrows. At a point A in proximity to the press 46' a suitable adhesiveis a plied to either one of both or both sides 0 the flexible material.as desired. A facing of leather, rubber or other suitable material isthen applied to either one of both or both sides of the flexiblematerial as the case may be. The flexible material carrying the facingmaterial and adhesive is then passed into the press 46 whereuponpressure is applied for a desired length of time thereby necessarilyadhering the facing material to the flexible base material comprisingthe belt. The pressure is then released from the press whereupon theflexible material carrying the adhered facing material is moved in thecourse of travel indi- The application of suitable adhesive and facingmaterial is continued until the entire length of flexible material hasundergone the above described operations. The dampening effect of theadhesive upon the flexible material tends to cause the same to expand.This expansion is compensated by the action of the fluid pressure withinthe cylinder 19 in the manner as hereinbefore described in connectionwith Fig. 1. After the flexible material has time the uniform tension ismaintained within the same'by the action of the fluid pressure withinthe cylinder 19 as hereinbefore described in connection with Fig. 2.

When it is desired to remove the flexible material 46 from the positionshown in Fig. 1 or the finished product as indicated in Fig. 2, thevalve 31 of the fluid pressure pipe 30 is closed. The valve 38 of thedischarge pipe 37 is then opened .and the use of the ejector or exhaustpump 39 is involved thereb releasing or ejecting the contents ofthe'cylinder 19 which tends to create a partial vacuum within thecylinder 19, thereby causing the piston 20 to move to the position shown.in Fig. 5 thus relieving the tension maintained within the flexibleelements '16 or the finished product as the case may be, and permittingeasy removal of either the flexible material or finished product fromtheir respective positions, whereupon other material, in either instancemay be inserted to be operated upon.

It is to be understood that various changes in the shape, size andarrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from thespirit of my invention orthe scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure and protect by Letters Patent of the United States, 1s:

1. A process for making belts consisting of applying a suitable sizingsolution to flexible material, allowing said sizing material to drythereupon, subjecting said flexible material to a constant tension whilesaid sizing material is drying thereupon, and positively driving sa-idflexible material in an endless path during the drying period of thesizing solution to uniformly distribute the constant tension throughoutthe length of the flexible material.

2. A process for making belts consisting of applying a suitable sizingsolution to flexible material, allowing said sizing material to drythereupon, subjecting said flexible material to a constant tension whilesaid sizing material is drying thereupon, and positively driving saidflexible material at a constant rate of speed in an endless path duringthe drying period of said sizing" solution to uniformly distribute theconstant tension throughout the length of the flexible material.

3. A process for. making of applying a suitable sizing solution toflexible material, allowing sald sizing material to dry thereupon,subjecting said flexible material to a constant tension while saidsizing material is drying thereupon, positively driving saidflexiblematerial at a constant rate of speed in an endless path during thedrying period of the sizing solution to uniformly distribute theconstant tension throughout the length of the flexible material,applying an adhesive material to said flexible material, adhering facingmaterial to said flexible material by means of said adhesive material.

4. A process for makin belts consisting of applying a suitable slzingsolution to flexible material, allowin said sizing material to drythereupon, su jecting said flexible material to a constant tension whilesaid sizing material is drying thereupon, positively driving saidflexible material in an endless path during the drying period of thesizing solution H to uniformly distribute the constant tensionthroughout the length of the flexible material, applying an adhesive,material to said flexible material, adhering facing material to saidflexible material by means of said adhesive material, subjecting saidflexible material together with said adhesive material and facing ma-'terial to pressure, subjectin said flexible belts consisting materialtogether with said acing material and adhesive material to a constantand uniform tension, said tension being maintained during a drying.period of said adhesive material.

5. A process for making belts consisting of subjecting flexible materialto constant tension, applying an adhesive material to said flexiblematerial, positively driving said treated flexible materlal in anendless path, adhering facing material to said flexible material,subjecting said flexible material to a constant tension while saidadhesive material is drying thereupon.

FRANK E. CLARK.

